Ammunition retainer for rocket launchers



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S. G. GREEN Filed March 14 1950 AMMUNITION RETAINER FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS 1. A I f v & I f

July 5, 1955 ammo Samuel S. Green @UW MMZMZ AtviMUNlTlON RETAlNER non nocKET LAUNCHERS Samuel G. Green, Gray, Ga.

Application March 14, 1950, Serial No. 149,623

4 Claims. (0. S91.7)

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described in the specification and claims may be manufactured and used by or for the Govern- .ent for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates primarily to improved means for retaining a rocket of the type launched from portable launchers, such as those launchers known in the art as the bazooka in firing position in the barrel of the launcher in combination with an improved firing circuit for igniting the propellant of a rocket so loaded.

Heretofore it has been the practice in the art to detachably retain a rocket in firing position in the barrel of a portable launcher and to ignite the rocket propellant by including the propellant igniter in a firing circuit by means of two lead wires of unequal length. The long lead wire, known as the contact wire, was detachably connected to a spring terminal attached to and insulated from the launcher barrel, which spring terminal was in turn connected with one terminal of the power source through an insulated conductor. The short lead wire was soldered to the rocket fin assembly, and

connected to the other terminal of the power source through the launcher barrel as a common ground by an element known as a contactor latch mounted upon the launcher barrel so as to be adapted to detachably engage the fin assembly and jointly serve to ground the fin assembly to the barrel and retain the rocket in firing position in the barrel.

In the prior practice just outlined the contactor latch serves the joint functions of retaining the rocket in the launcher barrel prior to and during ignition of the rocket propellant, and the grounding the propellant igniter to the barrel so as to complete the igniter circuit to the power source; consequently, it is apparent that a malfunction of the contactor latch may result in a degeneration or complete nullity of either one or both of the functions of the latch.

The principal object of this invention is to overcome the malfunctions inherent in the prior art practice above mentioned by providing a simple and economical means that may be adapted to existing rockets and launchers and which will positively retain a rocket in firing position in the launcher at all times under all conditions after loading and prior to firing but yet will function with the assurance that the rocket will be released upon development of requisite thrust after ignition of the propellant.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide means which may be adapted to existing launchers for retaining a rocket in firing position in a portable launcher which is not dependent upon being grounded to the launcher for the establishment of a firing circuit therethrough.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for retaining a rocket in firing position in a launcher in such a manner that a simple, compact, highly etficient firing circuit may be easily and positively established 2,712,279 Patented July 5, 1955 directly between the circuit energizing source and the rocket propellant igniter.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The single view of the drawing is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view or" the breech end portion of a portable rocket launcher of the bazooka type showing in section the motor tube, nozzle and fin assembly portions of a rocket positioned in the launcher in firing position and retained in such position by the novel retaining means of this invention together with a diagrammatic view of the improved firing or ignition circuit.

Referring now to the single View of the drawing there is illustrated a breech end portion of the rear barrel assembly 15% of a portable rocket launcher of the type known in the art as the bazooka. A control or safety contact mechanism indicated at 11 is mounted upon the barrel so as to be insulated therefrom as by the insulation block 12 all as indicated in the drawing. As shown diagrammatically the safety mechanism comprises a contact pin 13 biased to the forwardmost or firing position thereof by the spring 1% and adapted to be retained in a retracted or safe position as by the cooperating bayonet slot 4i? in the body of the mechanism 111 and pin 41 on contactor 13. The contactor pin 13 has mounted thereon a contact 15 and the bayonet slot 49 and pin 41 are so arranged that when the contactor pin 13 is in normal retracted position the contact 15 will be rotated to a position substantially below the barrel assembly 10.

The contact 15 is connected to one terminal 16 of the power or circuit energizing source 17 for the firing circuit by the insulated conductor 18.

An incomplete round of ammunition A of the type fired from bazookas is shown loaded into the barrel part 10 in position to be fired comprising the fin assem bly 19, rocket motor 2e, rocket propellant 21 and rocket propellant igniter 22, with the fin assembly being conveniently shown as attached to the rocket motor 2% through the nozzle 23 of the motor and provided with a shroud 42. It will be understood that the head (not shown) of the round may be of any of usual types; such as high explosive for penetration of armor, practice, chemical, etc.; fused in the conventional manner of fusing ammunition of the type indicated.

The round A is retained in the barrel part 10 in position to be fired after loading by the novel retainer or clamp indicated generally at 24. The retainer 24 may be formed of a body of any suitable material, such as sheet metal and has made integral therewith or otherwise suitably aifixed thereto one or more resilient fingers 25 adapted to detachably engage the cooperating protuberance or protuberances 26, as the case might be, formed in any convenient manner on the barrel part 19 for the purpose of detachably securing the retainer in snug position across the breech of the barrel. There are also formed integral with or suitably attached to the retainer 24 one or more resilient fingers 27 adapted to detachably interlock with the fin assembly in any desirable manner, such as by the notches 28 formed in the fins, although it will of course be understood that any conveniently accessible element of the fin assembly may be used to interengage with the fingers 27 and that any form of detent may be substituted for the notches 28. The fingers 27 will serve to detachably retain the round A in firing position with the fin assembly 19 closely adjacent the member 24 1 under all conditions of usage of the bazooka in its intended service.

Retainer 24 is formed with an aperture 29 to permit manipulation of the retainer as well as exhaust of gases and has a contact strip or element 43 secured around any desired part of the peripheral portion thereof insulated from the body of the retainer.

Two insulated lead wires extend from the igniter 22 as indicated at 30 and 31. The lead wire 3% is soldered to contact strip 43 and the bared end of lead wire 31 may as herein illustrated be detachably engaged with the terminal 32 of the power source as by a spring contact terminal.

In practice it is contemplated that a retainer 24 will be provided with each round of ammunition A whereby the retainer and round will be interlocked through fingers 27 and lead wire 34) will be soldered to contact strip 43 in the assembly of the component round before issue to troops. With this arrangement the round A may be loaded in barrel part 10 so as to cause the fingers 25 of retainer 24 to interlock with protuberances or detents 26 which will retain the round in the barrel in firing position until fired. To prepare round A for firing the bared end of lead wire 31 is attached to terminal 32 of power source 17 and contactor pin 13 is released so as to permit contact 15 to engage contact strip 43 under the influence of spring 14. To fire the round A it is only necessary to actuate trigger 4-4 which closes the firing circuit through the power source 17.

Although the retainer 24 has been referred to as being provided with each round of ammunition A, it is apparent to those acquainted With the art that the retainer may be constructed for repeated use and that lead wire 30 may be detachably aflixed to contact strip 43 by any suitable means adapted to the purpose.

The fingers 25 and 27 may be adjusted to engage the barrel part ill and fin assemblies with any desired predetermined force.

Having now described a presently preferred embodiment of the invention 1 claim:

1. In a rocket launcher for launching rocket propelled missiles of the fin stabilized type wherein the rocket propellant is ignited electrically, in combination, a retainer detachably secured across the breech of the launcher, means on said retainer for detachably engaging certain of the fins, of a fin stabilized missile of the rocket propelled type having an electric igniter for ignition of the rocket propellant, to secure the missile in firing position in the launcher, a contact element on the retainer adapted to be electrically connected with the igniter, and a safety mechanism secured to the launcher having a movable contact biased to engage said retainer contact element in the firing position thereof and adapted to being electrically connected with a source of power for energizing the igniter.

2. in a rocket launcher for launching rocket propelled missiles of the fin stabilized type wherein the rocket propellant is ignited electrically, in combination a retainer detachably secured across the breech of the launcher, means on said retainer for detachably engaging certain of the fins, of a fin stabilized missile of the rocket ropcllant type having an electric igniter for ignition of the rocket propellant, to secure the missile in firing position in the launcher, a contact element on the retainer adapted to be electrically connected with the igniter. and a safety mechanism secured to the launcher comprising a contact pin, a contact on said contact pin adapted to conductively engage said retainer contact element, means normally biasing the contact pin with the contact thereon into engagement with said retainer contact element, and means for retaining the contact pin in retracted position with the contact pin thereon out of contact with said retainer contact element.

3. in a device for holding in a launching tube a rocket having an electric igniter for ignition of the rocket propeliant and provided with a plurality of spaced fins, the combination of a retainer removably secured to the breech end of said tube and provided with an aperture to register with the exhaust of said rocket, a contact element on said retainer, a plurality of resilient fingers secured to said retainer and adapted to detachably interlock with the said fins, and a safety mechanism secured to said tube comprising a contact pin, a Contact on said contact pin adapted to conductively engage said retainer contact element, spring means normally biasing the contact pin with the contact thereon into engagement with said retainer contact element, and means for retaining the contact pin in retracted position with the contact thereon out of engagement with said retainer contact element.

The invention of claim 3 wherein said last named means comprises a housing including a bayonet slot and slidably receiving the said contact pin, a second pin secured to said contact pin at right angles thereto and cooperating with said bayonet slot whereby the contact pin with the Contact thereon will be rotated to a position below the said tube when the said contact pin is in normal retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,351,649 Holecek Aug. 31, 1920 2,108,398 Allen Feb. 15, 1938 2,340,047 Dunn Jan. 25, 1944- 2,3S3 .053 Fanger et al. Aug. 21, 1945 2,434,652 lickrnan 20, 1948 2,458,475 Lauritsen Ian. 4, 1949 2,460,929 Goff Feb. 8, 1949 2,496,316 Skinner et al. Feb. 7, 1950 2,517,333 Motley Aug. 1, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 914,341 France Oct. 4, 1946 

